Zechariah 3
Confrontation between Jesus and Satan verse 1- 2
And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing
before the angel of the LORD
AND Satan standing at HIS right hand
to RESIST HIM
AND the LORD said to Satan
The LORD rebuke you – O Satan
even the LORD that has chosen Jerusalem
rebuke you
Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
Forgiveness of sin verse 3- 4
NOW Joshua was clothed with filthy garments
and stood before the angel
AND HE answered and spoke to those that stood
before HIM – saying
Take away the filthy garments from him
AND unto him HE said – BEHOLD
I have caused your iniquity to pass from you
and I will clothe you with
change of raiment
New clothes verse 5
AND I said – Let them set a fair miter upon his head
SO they set a fair miter upon his head
and clothed him with garments
AND the angel of the LORD stood by
Commitment to service to LORD verse 6- 7
AND the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua
saying
This says the LORD of hosts
IF you will walk in MY ways
and IF you will keep MY charge
THEN you shall also judge MY house
and shall also keep MY courts
and I will give you places to walk
among these that stand by
Branch of the LORD coming verse 8- 9
HEAR now – O Joshua – the high priest
you and your fellows that sit before you
FOR they are men wondered at
FOR – BEHOLD
I will bring forth MY servant the BRANCH
FOR behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua
ON one stone shall be seven eyes
BEHOLD – I will engrave the graving thereof
says the LORD of hosts
I will remove the iniquity of that land in ONE DAY
Perfect peace coming verse 10
IN THAT DAY – says the LORD of hosts
shall you call every man his neighbor under the vine
and under the fig tree
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. (7853 “resist” [satan] means to be or act as an adversary, oppose, withstand, or accuse with hostility.)
DEVOTION: Here is a picture of what is going on in heaven when we stand before the LORD for our final invitation into heaven. The actors in this verse are: 1. Joshua- who represents Jerusalem, Israel and all the people; 2. Angel of the LORD – Jesus Christ; 3. Satan – Accuser of the brethren. These three individuals interact with the Father used as the one to rebuke Satan. An angel is present, as well as, Zechariah witnessing this vision.
Satan is there to accuse the high priest of sin. The high priest comes before the LORD with filthy garments which represent the fact that he is a sinner. However, Jesus Christ tells an angel to give Joshua a change of raiment. Praise the LORD! This change of raiment symbolizes the forgiveness of sin. Once Joshua’s sins are forgiven the LORD gives him instructions to walk in HIS ways and keep HIS charge or commandments.
This forgiveness is spoken of as taking someone out of the fire. Israel is going in the wrong direction. Their high priest stands before the LORD accused of sin, of which, he is guilt. Satan wants Joshua. The LORD says NO!!! This chapter represents Jesus Christ as a Servant, a Branch and a Stone. We have observed that HE also comes in the Old Testament as the “Angel of the LORD.”
We realize that we have an adversary that stands before the LORD accusing us of all our sins. Here is Satan accusing Joshua the high priest of being a filthy sinner. The Angel of the LORD, which is a theophany or a visible appearing of Deity in the Old Testament, is the one defending Joshua against Satan. HE is Christ. HE forgives his sins. HE gives Joshua a change of garments. Once we have chosen to follow the LORD, we receive a change of clothing. We are no longer wearing our righteousness (compared to filthy rags) but the righteousness of Christ.
Satan is a fallen angel who had a position of power in heaven but chose to fall away from the LORD. He is not omnipresent like the LORD but is only in one place at a time. He does have other angels that fell with him who are called demons in the New Testament. They are the ones who give us problems during our lifetime. They are defeated by the SERVANT/ BRANCH/ STONE who is Christ. Praise the LORD. Our adversary has no power over us because Christ is our lawyer and defender. That is GREAT NEWS. Remember that those who have chosen to follow Christ have a changed live. We don’t live in sin but commit sin. We live in the Spirit.
CHALLENGE: Run from the temptation of Satan. We have the ability given to us by the LORD to have victory each day.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 4 And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. (6674 “filthy” [tsow’] means befouled, or soiled.)
DEVOTION: Transition is necessary for us to move from one family to another. We were born into Satan’s family. We were conceived in sin from our mother’s womb. We live our life outside of the family of God until a point when we acknowledge our sin and commit our life to Jesus Christ. This was established before the foundation of the earth. HE knew our decision because HE knows all. We don’t know it until we make it.
It is like wearing old worn clothing to an event where they give us new clothing. We are no longer covered with sin. The LORD has washed us clean through the blood of Jesus Christ. Our whole life is transformed into one of hope and blessing.
Who has done this great thing? Have we earned it by our good works? Do we deserve it because of the family we come from? Is it because we go to the right church? The answer to all is NO!! Christ did it all. This chapter is dedicated to the actions of Christ. The words used tell us of HIS great work. It is still future from the time this book was written but it is going to happen. God promised it.
Israel has been chosen by the LORD. Those who make up the true church are chosen by the LORD.
When HE looks at us HE sees us though HIS Son Jesus Christ as without iniquity. Christ paid for our redemption. HE was our substitute. We are declared FREE.
CHALLENGE: We need to realize these truths as we live our life today. HE has given us the law of liberty. We don’t have to be legalistic or act with license. Our balance in the Christian life is necessary.
____________________________________________________
: 8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you, and your fellows that sit before you; for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. (6780 “BRANCH” [tsemach] means title of a future king from the lineage tree of David, sprouting, a shoot, bud, that which grew, Messiah from Davidic tree, or metaph. of Messianic king.)
DEVOTION: The Branch of the LORD is a main topic in Isaiah 40- 55. When you study this passage you find that the Messiah Jesus Christ is taught. HE is the servant of the LORD that is going to suffer at HIS first coming for the sins of the world.
In Isaiah 53 we have a description of the death of Christ on the cross for our sins. We are the ones who need cleansing and HIS death does the cleansing.
Zechariah relays the message from the LORD regarding what is going to happen and they are to listen to what HE has to say.
The New Testament name Jesus is the same as the Old Testament name Joshua. Jesus at HIS second coming is going to manifest HIMSELF as our prophet, priest and KING.
These are things to come. God sends HIS truth to HIS servants the prophets to inform us that HE is working. HE wants the people of Jerusalem to know that HE is working.
We need to be ready for the return of the LORD. Four hundred years passed between the Old Testament ending and the New Testament begins to testify of the first coming of Christ. It was a long time to wait. We have waited longer but we have to always remember that one day with the LORD is like a thousand years. HE is in no hurry. We are!!
CHALLENGE: Understanding the future hope of all believers is important. Christ is coming again and we need to be ready!!!)
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 10 In that day, says the LORD of hosts, shall you call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree. (7452 “neighbor” [rea‘] means friend, fellow, companion, fellow-citizen, a person who lives near another, or comrade)
DEVOTION: Future is hard for us to imagine. There are many books about the future. In high school I had to read the book “1984.” It told of the government being in control of everyone’s life. There was nothing approved by the government that didn’t control people’s lives. They controlled what you could eat, who you could marry and so on. They had cameras everywhere. Now the truth of the matter is that it didn’t all happen by the year 1984 but it is happening now more than ever. Control is the name of the game today.
Our future in this world might seem bleak but that is not what the Bible teaches. We might face persecution in the near future but that is happening to Christians around the world now.
For those who are followers of the LORD there will be a time period of PEACE on earth that it has not seen since the fall in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve could walk in the garden with no worries. The LORD met them there. There was perfect peace until they disobeyed the LORD.
That peace is going to return in the future during the reign of Christ. It is a time period when everyone will be inviting their neighbor to join them for a time of fun and fellowship. That is not happening as much today.
There will be an environment that relaxes people to the point of being able to communicate without worrying about gossip or other problems with neighbors. Can we comprehend this type of peace today? No really! We have children shooting parents. We have cameras everywhere to see what we are doing. We have people who are monitoring our every move.
There is a television program called “Person of Interest” where there is a machine that tracks everyone’s moves, and in the program, tells when someone is going to be killed. This type of tracking is taking place in most of the countries of the world.
It shouldn’t cause us to worry but it can cause us not to have peace.
CHALLENGE: God wants us to have peace in the storms of life because
HE is right by our side to help us. Trust in HIM.
__________________________________________________________________
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
_________________________________________________________
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1, 2, 5- 7, 9, 10
LORD rebukes Satan verse 2
LORD of hosts verse 7, 9, 10
I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day verse 9
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Angel of the LORD- Theophany (Christ) verse 1, 5, 6
LORD verse 2
Servant verse 8
BRANCH verse 8
Stone verse 9
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Satan – resist Joshua verse 1, 2
Angel verse 3
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Call on neighbor verse 10
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Resist Christ verse 1
Fithy garments verse 3, 4
Iniquity verse 4, 9
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Rebuke Satan verse 2
Change of raiment verse 4, 5
Walk in MY ways verse 7
Keep MY charge verse 7
Judge MY house verse 7
Remove iniquity in one day verse 9
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Joshua – high priest verse 1, 3, 4, 6- 9
clothed with filthy garments
stood before the angel
clothed with change of garment
walk in way of the LORD
keep charge of the LORD
judge LORD’S house
keep LORD’S court
give place to walk by the LORD
Jerusalem verse 2
Set a fair mitre on head verse 5
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
In that day verse 10
call every man his neighbor
_____________________________________________________________________
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
_____________________________________________________________
QUOTES regarding passage
Haggai’s first message (Hag. 1:1–11) and Zechariah’s call to repentance (Zech. 1:1–6) are evidence that the spiritual level of the Jewish remnant was very low. Most of these people had been born in Babylon, where there wasn’t much religious example or instruction to nourish their worship of Jehovah; and the difficult circumstances in their own land tested their faith greatly.
The accused (3:1a, 3). Joshua stood before the Lord as a representative of Israel, a people He had called to be a holy nation of priests (Ex. 19:5–6). He wore filthy clothes, not because he was sinful personally, but because the people had sinned and were unclean in God’s sight. The emphasis here is on the nation collectively and not on Joshua individually, for both Joshua and Zerubbabel were “men symbolic of things to come” (v. 8, niv). God had chosen Jerusalem and had plucked the Jews out of the fire of Babylonian Captivity (v. 2). What God did for Joshua symbolically He would do for Israel personally: the iniquity of the land would be removed in a day (v. 9).
To “stand before the Lord” means to be in a place of service (Gen. 41:46; Deut. 10:8; 1 Sam. 16:21), so the Jews became defiled while they were attempting to serve the Lord. If their service was unclean in God’s sight, what must their deliberate sins have been like! The Hebrew word translated “filthy” denotes the worst kind of defilement possible for a Jew. According to Merrill Unger, the word can be translated “excrement-covered.”
Since the priests were commanded to keep themselves clean at all times, on penalty of death (Ex. 28:39–43; 30:17–21), Joshua’s wearing filthy garments would be a terrible personal embarrassment and an offense against God’s law. Those garments were “for glory and for beauty” (Ex. 28:2, 40), but the Lord saw neither glory nor beauty as He beheld His servant. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1997). Be heroic (pp. 97–98). Colorado Springs, CO: ChariotVictor Pub.)
____________________________________________________________
This chapter presents the grand prophecy of Israel’s restoration as a priestly nation. Regarding Israel’s calling, Exodus 19:6 states, “You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Just as it was certain that there could be no failure in the restoration work on the temple that the remnant had taken up anew, so it is assured that God’s future program for Israel will be consummated at the return of the Messiah to the earth (Zech 14). In this apocalyptic vision the high priest Joshua represents the sinful nation Israel (cf. comment at v.8). However, though Israel is presented in defilement, she is also cleansed and restored as a kingdom of priests for God—a condition that will be realized in the Messianic Age. This symbolic interpretation becomes progressively clearer as one moves through the chapter. Basically, visions four and five “concern Judah’s standing before God and her spiritual resources” (Baldwin, Zechariah, p. 113). (Barker, K. L. (1986). Zechariah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel and the Minor Prophets (Vol. 7, p. 623). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
____________________________________________________________
3:8–10. The Lord next affirmed the point of the vision—that Joshua and his priestly companions were symbolic of things to come. In their official priestly cleansing from sin they prefigured the future cleansing of the nation Israel. This future cleansing was linked with the coming of the Sin-Remover who was given three messianic titles—My Servant, the Branch, and the Stone. As the Servant of the Lord, Christ is the One who comes to do the will of the Father (Isa. 42:1; 49:3–4; 50:10; 52:13; 53:11). As the Branch of David, Christ is the Davidic Descendant who will rise to power and glory out of the humiliation into which the line of David had fallen (Isa. 4:2; 11:1; Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Zech. 6:12–13). As the Stone (cf. Ps. 118:22; Matt. 21:42; 1 Peter 2:6) He will bring judgment on the Gentiles (Dan. 2:44–45) and be a stone of stumbling for unbelieving Israel (Rom. 9:31–33). But ultimately He will bring cleansing to Israel and remove the sin of this land in a single day. Some say this refers to the day of Christ’s crucifixion, but it is more likely a reference to the day of His Second Advent when at the end of the future Tribulation period the merits of His death will be applied to believing Israel (Zech. 13:1).
The seven eyes on the stone probably symbolize the Messiah’s full intelligence with which He will judge. This may also allude to the Holy Spirit (Isa. 11:2; Rev. 5:6). That day (Zech. 3:10) seems to refer to the whole period of millennial blessing which will follow the return of Christ. Sitting under one’s own vine and fig tree refers to conditions of peace and prosperity (1 Kings 4:25; Isa. 36:16; Micah 4:4). (Lindsey, F. D. (1985). Zechariah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 1554–1555). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
___________________________________________________________
3:10 invite his neighbor to sit under. A common expression in Israel for peace and prosperity (cf. 1Ki 4:25; Mic 4:4), here depicting the peace during the millennial rule of Messiah. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Zec 3:10). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
__________________________________________________________
Yet something remains: Israel is rescued, but not sanctified. The nation’s troubles are over: their uncleanness has still to be removed. Zechariah sees that the High Priest is clothed in filthy garments while he stands before the Angel of Judgment. The Angel orders his servants, those “that stand before him,”† to give him clean festal robes. And the prophet, breaking out in sympathy with what he sees, for the first time takes part in the Visions. “Then I said, Let them also put a clean turban on his head”—the turban being the headdress, in Ezekiel of the Prince of Israel, and in the Priestly Code of the High Priest.‡ This is done, and the national effect of his cleansing is explained to the High Priest. If he remains loyal to the law of Jehovah, he, the representative of Israel, shall have right of entry to Jehovah’s presence among the angels who stand there. But more, he and his colleagues the priests are a portent of the coming of the Messiah—“the Servant of Jehovah, the Branch,” as he has been called by many prophets.§ A stone has already been set before Joshua, with seven eyes upon it. God will engrave it with inscriptions, and on the same day take away the guilt of the land. Then shall be the peace upon which Zechariah loves to dwell. (Smith, G. A. (1903). The Book of the Twelve Prophets. In W. Robertson Nicoll (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible: Jeremiah to Mark (Vol. 4, p. 630). Hartford, CT: S.S. Scranton Co.)
______________________________________________________________
Thus are God’s redeemed ones called to serve Him whose grace has plucked them as brands from eternal fire. And so, in the coming age, will restored and purged Israel delight to obey the voice of Him who shall have made them willing in the day of His power.
___________________________________________
Only in Christ shall all these prophetic pictures be made good; so at once we are told, “I will bring forth My Servant the Branch.” The title is not a new one as applied to the Lord Jesus. Again and again had the older prophets so designated Him. Isaiah more than once foretold the day when “the Branch of the Lord” should be for beauty and for glory (Isa. 4:2; 11:1); and Jeremiah twice spoke of David’s righteous Branch, who was to be called Jehovah Tsidkenu (Jer. 23:5, 6 and 33:15, 16). So Zechariah but amplifies here and in chapter 6:12 what God had long before made known.
The Branch of verse 2 is identified with the Stone of verse 9, which is to be engraved as with the engraving of a signet, with the sign of perfect intelligence, namely, seven eyes. This is the Stone of salvation which was once a rock of offence, and, as such, was rejected by the builders. Soon it shall fall from heaven, in accordance with Nebuchadnezzar’s vision (Dan. 2), grinding to powder the enemies of the Lord, but removing the iniquity of the land of Palestine in one day. Then shall the blessings of Messiah’s reign be entered into by the spared remnant, who shall call every man neighbor, under their own vine and fig tree.
It is an apparently abrupt conclusion to so marvelous a chapter, but it accords with the general character of Zechariah, where sudden terminations and quick transitions abound throughout. (Ironside, H. A. (1909). Notes on the Minor Prophets. (pp. 356–357). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
_____________________________________________________________
Ver. 10. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, &c.] The Gospel dispensation, which began with the incarnation, sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ, and still continues; called sometimes the day of salvation, the acceptable time, and year of the redeemed: shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine, and under the fig-tree; which may be expressive of the desire of gracious souls after the conversion of others; they would have them come under the means of grace; and are desirous that the means might be blessed to them; that they might know Christ, and be partakers of the same grace with them; which arises from a sense they have of the blessings they share in; from a love to immortal souls, and a desire to promote the glory of God; also of the fruitfulness and plenty of the Gospel dispensation; Christ is the true vine, laden with precious fruits; from him saints have all their fruitfulness; they sit under his shadow with delight, and his fruit is sweet unto them; the provisions of his house are very excellent and precious, to which others are invited to partake of: likewise of the fellowship and communion which saints have with each other; they converse in private, join in public worship, and feast together at the Lord’s table; and encourage one another so to do; all which is crowned with the presence of God, and fellowship with him: moreover, the words may suggest that peace and tranquillity enjoyed by believers under the Gospel dispensation, and that safety and security which they have in and through Christ; see the note on Mic. 4:4. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 6, p. 694). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
___________________________________________________________
FROM MY READING:
Micah 7
Micah laments the degradation of his fellow men, but hopes in the Lord.
INSIGHT
Micah sets his narrative in an imaginary courtroom where he pours out scathing rebuke on the injustice he sees in the fellow men around him. The evidence is brought forth and the children of Israel are found guilty. Sins swarm from Micah’s pen, filling the first third of his book. The second portion of this book addresses sin. Jerusalem will be destroyed, and the people will be banished to captivity in Babylon. Typical of the prophets of God, the third part of the book tells of hope. A divine Deliverer will appear, and once again justice and righteousness will reign. (Quiet Walk)
____________________________________________________
PROVIDENCE
He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. Job 12:24
What exactly do we mean by providence? I cannot think of a better definition or description than this: “Providence is that continued exercise of the divine energy whereby the Creator upholds all His creatures, is operative in all that transpires in the world, and directs all things to their appointed end.”
Notice how Psalm 104 puts it in verses 28-30: “That thou givest them [animals of the earth] they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.” Now God does not create these animals of the earth constantly. What He does is to keep life, to preserve what He has already created.
We are also told that God’s providence is exercised over the affairs of nations. You will find that in Job 12:24: “He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
We are also told that God providentially governs a man’s birth and his lot in this world. We read in 1 Samuel 16:1, “And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel” Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.” And Paul says about himself in Galatians 1:15-16, “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen….”
A Thought to Ponder: The Creator is operative in all that transpires in the world and directs all things to their appointed end. (From God the Father, God the Son, pp. 143-144, 147, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
________________________________________________________
Only Christ Was Sinless
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8)
Here John is writing to Christians, and his epistle is full of exhortations to the Christian to purge sin from his life, with grave warnings to any who do not. Yet, he also says that for a Christian to claim sinless perfection is self-deception. “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:10).
Only by Jesus Christ Himself could such claims be truly made. The greatest theologian, Paul, said concerning Christ that He “knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21). His closest friends, Peter and John, said that He “did no sin” (1 Peter 2:22) and that in Him is no sin (1 John 3:5). His betrayer, Judas, said, “I have betrayed the innocent blood” (Matthew 27:4); His condemning judge, Pilate, said, “I find in him no fault at all” (John 18:38); and His executioner said, “This was a righteous man” (Luke 23:47). Christ Himself claimed human perfection: “For I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29).
Jesus Christ alone was sinlessly perfect in His human life, and it was because of this that He could die for our sins. It is arrogant for one of us to claim a state of perfection, thus leading such a person into repeated assertions of boasting and self-justification, trying to explain why apparently sinful behavior is not really sinful. Even Paul himself acknowledged: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect” (Philippians 3:12).
But between these two key verses in John’s epistle, he gives us the moment-by-moment remedy for sin in a godly believer’s life: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
_______________________________________________________
What Phillip Brooks told his congregation applies to God’s servants everywhere: “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be strong men and women. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks. Or, as Pastor Don put it, “It’s time to grow.” (10 Power Principles for Christian Service by Warren W. & David W. Wiersbe)
________________________________________________________
We now have a Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.